Opposition Abounds - Appeal to Authority

Timeline

The last few weeks we have seen Israel settle back into their towns and begin the work of rebuilding and restoration starting with the burnt offerings and sacrifices, then the temple foundation.

Last week we saw them attempt to start the work on the temple but faced opposition from enemies who tried to work their way within. We continue now today to see what happens after....

Text

Ezra 4:6-23

Ezra 4:6–23 CSB

At the beginning of the reign of Ahasuerus, the people who were already in the land wrote an accusation against the residents of Judah and Jerusalem. During the time of King Artaxerxes of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and the rest of his colleagues wrote to King Artaxerxes. The letter was written in Aramaic and translated. Rehum the chief deputy and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter to King Artaxerxes concerning Jerusalem as follows: From Rehum the chief deputy, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues—the judges and magistrates from Tripolis, Persia, Erech, Babylon, Susa (that is, the people of Elam), and the rest of the peoples whom the great and illustrious Ashurbanipal deported and settled in the cities of Samaria and the region west of the Euphrates River. This is the text of the letter they sent to him: To King Artaxerxes from your servants, the men from the region west of the Euphrates River: Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came from you have returned to us at Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and evil city, finishing its walls, and repairing its foundations. Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are finished, they will not pay tribute, duty, or land tax, and the royal revenue will suffer. Since we have taken an oath of loyalty to the king, and it is not right for us to witness his dishonor, we have sent to inform the king that a search should be made in your predecessors’ record books. In these record books you will discover and verify that the city is a rebellious city, harmful to kings and provinces. There have been revolts in it since ancient times. That is why this city was destroyed. We advise the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are finished, you will not have any possession west of the Euphrates. The king sent a reply to his chief deputy Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues living in Samaria and elsewhere in the region west of the Euphrates River: Greetings. The letter you sent us has been translated and read in my presence. I issued a decree and a search was conducted. It was discovered that this city has had uprisings against kings since ancient times, and there have been rebellions and revolts in it. Powerful kings have also ruled over Jerusalem and exercised authority over the whole region west of the Euphrates River, and tribute, duty, and land tax were paid to them. Therefore, issue an order for these men to stop, so that this city will not be rebuilt until a further decree has been pronounced by me. See that you not neglect this matter. Otherwise, the damage will increase and the royal interests will suffer. As soon as the text of King Artaxerxes’s letter was read to Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their colleagues, they immediately went to the Jews in Jerusalem and forcibly stopped them.

Message

1. Appeal By Deceit

Ezra 4:6-16

So check this out, not only did the people have to deal with enemies that came on from the inside like we saw last week, but now they have to deal with enemies who begin to appeal to higher human authorities in order to stop the work

First the people worked from within, by pretending to be friends and then by seeding doubt and then by bribing officials but all of that was from within.

And that lasted, for a while...

Last week we saw that actually lasted for the duration of King Darius’ reign, which we aren’t told how long, but it is presumed to be for more than a year

Now we see that the enemies of the people of God have moved on to appeal to a higher human authority in order to stop the work.

Check out how cunning and deceptive this move is

They write a letter to the new King, one who didn’t make the proclamation to send the Israelites back

That’s the first deceptive thing....wait until their is a new authority

THEN they write this letter which the manner in which it is written is riddled with deceit

They begin by doing what I would consider to be a ‘poisoning of the well’ argument.

They begin right off the bat with “they are rebuilding that rebellious and evil city....”

So if you’re the new king, now you’re first thought is not “is this good or bad” it is now, “how bad is this?”

You’re now immediately thinking if you’re going to have a revolt or an overthrow....are they a threat to your reign? What do they want? etc.

This is the poisoning the well.

Then in verse 15 they tell him to search the records

Now you might be thinking “Good!!” And you’re probably thinking that because you think, “If he searches the record, he will find King Cyrus’ decree right?”

Not if he isn’t looking for it...

They tell him to search the records “to verify that the city is a rebellious city...”

And this here, this is our first major ideology barrier to rebuilding and restoration.

Weaponization of the past.

And I want to be careful walking in to this topic because it requires an abundance of nuance.

The reason is because, where is the line between examining the past in wisdom to determine a course forward ; and an unsatisfied attitude that refuses to extend forgiveness or accept repentance and change

This is the challenge with a phrase we have all probably heard which is “the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior”...

And I’m not really saying that I have this line exactly figured out....Because at what point does wisdom looking back cross over into a cynicism that says God cannot change hearts...

And this balance gets so dangerous the closer it gets to a one on one level. Because There are those who will weaponize this idea the other way into to saying that they have changed when they have not and it creates a dangerous situation - especially in terms of relationship and abuse.

But here, we are looking at the opposite fence of that.

We are looking at people who are enemies, who have no genuine relationship to the people of God who are weaponize a past they were not a part of and do not understand

We are seeing here how the enemies of God, are using Israel’s past and sins against God and directing them at the new king in order to stop the work of rebuilding and restoration

Notice what they say at the end of verse 15

“There have been revolts in it since ancient times. That is why this city was destroyed.”

No it wasn’t!

If you remember back to the context sermon, the city was destroyed because the people abandoned God. The forsook His commands and they worshipped other gods and He destroyed the city just as He promised He would in Leviticus 26

2. Appeal Being Honored

Ezra 4:17-23

After appeal to the King through the means of deceit...

Naturally, the king responds much in the way that we would all expect. He finds exactly what the enemies wanted him to find in the records, and orders a full stop of all of the work being done on the city.

He even confirms his motives to be for his own sake and for his own status and power that he acts in this fashion.

Just as the enemies had said if he let’s the Israelites build he won’t be able to take possession of any land west of he Euphrates River

And he, issuing his response mentions this fact and orders to stop on the work.

Now what do we do with a passage like this?

How do we pull away truths to help us, now walk through a process of rebuilding and restoration when reading of that work being forcibly stopped?

Well for one I would say:

God Knows What He is Doing

What do I mean by this? The same God who roused the heart of King Cyrus and of the people, and of the neighbors in order that they might return…is the same God who foresaw and allowed this opposition to come

But why? Well, for a people with a history as complicated as Israel’s this moment becomes this sort of teaching point and proving ground.

Amongst many of the issues that lead to Israel’s sin by abandoning the LORD, one of those things was a cosy-ing up to other nations for their protection as opposed to the LORD.

You’re going to realize this is a common theme amongst Israel.

They continued to believe other things would be their comfort and protection other than the LORD

At times it was other gods, other times it was alliances with other nations, and most times it was both!

But here, after God has brought them back to the land to begin this process of rebuilding and restoration, He allows them to face opposition....and strong opposition at that.

And we are going to see that the work is ceased until God speaks through prophets to have them begin again.

He allows opposition so that Israel might learn to wait on His Word.

This story of political opposition to the plans of God and trusting in Him for exaltation at the right time is not unique to this situation.

But in a greater way, in a greater means of restoration we see these same themes.

You see in the New Testament, the gospel authors: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, narrate the life of Jesus.

In their gospels, they write of this moment, where it says Jesus sets His face toward Jerusalem, and then we get the events leading to His crucifixion, death, and resurrection.

The thing is we can’t skip the in between.

You see Jesus is arrested and put on trial before Pilate and the Jews who arrested him begin work a deceit that the would have caused the enemies of Israel in Ezra to blush.

You see the Jews stand Jesus before Pilate and pull the exact. same. card.

The Jews claim that Jesus was starting an insurrection, a political one, that He was calling for people to cease paying taxes to Caesar and setting Himself up as King.

The Jews used the same deceit, claims that the king will lose His political place if God’s work is not stopped.

So just like in Ezra, Pilate “stops” God’s work and sentences Jesus to be crucified.

This is next part, is how I know that in Ezra, God allowed this opposition to come.

You see because with Jesus, the Son of God. God in the flesh....he allowed similar opposition by a political figure in order for a greater purpose.

Acts 4:27-28

Acts 4:27–28 CSB

“For, in fact, in this city both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, assembled together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, to do whatever your hand and your will had predestined to take place.

Acts 2:22-24

Acts 2:22–24 CSB

“Fellow Israelites, listen to these words: This Jesus of Nazareth was a man attested to you by God with miracles, wonders, and signs that God did among you through him, just as you yourselves know. Though he was delivered up according to God’s determined plan and foreknowledge, you used lawless people to nail him to a cross and kill him. God raised him up, ending the pains of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by death.

You see, God’s work in the person of Jesus did not exclude, but rather included opposition. And in fact, it was the opposition that God planned and used in order to accomplish His plan.

God didn’t go to plan be when opposition came.

God used the opposition that He had planned to accomplish salvation, once for all, found only in the person of Jesus.

So I must ask, have you received that salvation? Do you know of the work Jesus did on your behalf? Did you know of Jesus’ perfect life, His suffering and death in your place, in my place, and His resurrection securing for us freedom .

Just as we read in Acts because “it was not possible for him to be held by death”

Do you follow this Jesus? The one, the only one who offers freedom and eternal life? If not let me invite you today to follow Him. reach out to us.

If you do follow Jesus let me invite you, don’t be discouraged when opposition comes our way to the work of rebuilding and restoration. God is sovereign and He knows what He is doing. Let us trust Him. And lean in to the work that He has prepared for us.